2016 BMW x5 xDrive 35i with Invisihitch

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Jeff7176

The 25 Serenity has a heavy tongue. Much more than advertised.

I have a 2018 Serenity 25FB. Tongue weight measured on a sherline scale is almost 1,000 lbs with an empty fresh water tank. That was before I added a propride. I had a 2018 F150. After adding the propride I went back to the scales and I was able to get great results but the RAWR was maxed out before loading up for a trip. I did have a topper and kept most of my tools in the bed. Probably 600 pounds altogether. I could have made some changes, moved the tools back in the shed for one, but part of the reason for having a truck was also to have my tools with me rather than having to lug boxes from the shed and hope I didn’t forget anything. So I decided I needed to make a different change and bought a 3/4 ton TV. I bought a diesel because it was in the truck that had all the other options I wanted. I don’t know the realm of things that are possible to modify or reinforce TVs, but felt this was the right decision for me.

Great choice! Safe, too ...

[OSU76]

I tried it with a BMW X5 5.0 10,000# anti sway bar set up and it was like the tail wagging the dog the sway was ok just felt unsafe
I kept the car & upgraded to a 2017 Yukon Denali 6.2l Wow what a difference

[OSU76]

Again the BMW is a unibody chassis you need a truck frame chassis

[jcl]

Originally Posted by OSU76

I tried it with a BMW X5 5.0 10,000# anti sway bar set up and it was like the tail wagging the dog the sway was ok just felt unsafe
I kept the car & upgraded to a 2017 Yukon Denali 6.2l Wow what a difference

BMW never made a 5.0 V8, and the 5.0 V12 was never put in an SUV.

It sounds like you needed some attention to setup. If you were using the standard BMW hitch without reinforcement you were unlikely to have restored much weight to the front axle, if any. It is always better to start with a better handling vehicle (and the BMW handles much better solo than the Denali) but you still need proper setup for the best results.

[Johnfgriner]

I am towing a 2018 25' RB Serenity with 2017 Dodge Durango (Citadal Hemi). The Durango has plenty of power. Sway has been a problem. I installed a blue ox hitch that came with the airstream. It is capable of white knuckle driving at 75 mph. 60 mph is comfortable. Without the blue ox hitch sway became excessive around 45 mph. I recently also purchased a short 35' diesel pusher which is not as cool but is less hassle and easier to drive and setup. Prior to purchasing the Airstream I rented a similar 25' FB that towed fine without the blue ox hitch. In my experience hooking up the blue ox hitch is an additional hassle. It might take 3 to 5 minutes extra.

[SilverWind]

Make sure that your TV's cargo capacity is realistic for your present and future needs. You may not have a handle on that until you actually start camping. The brochures and online specs are most often more optimistic than the actual cargo capacity for your vehicle, which is normally found on a sticker located on the TV's door jamb.

I have friends who towed 25 and 27s with vehicles in the same class as your BMW. Porsche Cayenne, the VW equivalent and Jeep Grand Cherokees. They all switched to 3/4 ton diesel pickups and became truly happy campers. They can carry what they want and no more white knuckling on the downhills and in crosswinds.

There are also several suitably equipped 1/2 ton trucks available. Remember, it's not always about engine power. The chassis has to be heavy enough and equipped with a towing package and enhancements to make your towing enjoyable and safe.

[SteveNdebbie]

Originally Posted by 1stTime

I put a deposit on a 2019 25' AS international serenity with a 7300 GVWR. Before I go through with it, I was hoping to get some feedback on whether or not my 2016 BMW x5 xDrive 35i with an Invisihitch rated to pull 7700 lbs is truly capable to tow this trailer from coast to coast. I want to add sway bars but doesn't seem to be compatible with the hitch. What other modifications could/should I have done to provide peace of mind while traveling. I also have a 2017 Toyota Tacoma Sport 4x4 with crew cab should it be a better option to work with.

We made an Ohio to Oregon/California coasts and back trip this September with our MDX with Can Am reinforcement to our hitch. We have 2006 25’ FB Safari with a Hensley hitch making tongue weight probably around 1000 lbs. The MDX did great and we had no problems. My wife shared the driving.

Good luck and safe travels!
Steve

[walker]

I agree with contacting CanAm. They set up my first GL 550. I currently use the same set up on my GLS 550. The main item I would highly encourage is a Hensley or a Pro Pride. I would not do it without one. i have been every where steep and flat with my 1987 34’ Excella. No problem at 75mph with sway or stopping. Each to his own, but properly equipped, you dont have to have a big truck. I would be mindful of the wheelbase comment, longer is better, but the Hensley helps with that.

[Spamcan]

As the former owner of an X5 (diesel) and a 25' AS FB, count me in the group that says it probably do-able, but definitely not the right tool for the job. (I ended up with an F150 Ecoboost to pull the AS 25, and it was a delightful combination.)

But I want to add something that I don't think has been mentioned yet in this thread:

There's much more to the TV/TT equation than just weights and capacities. As an example, one important practical consideration is mirrors, since 80% of the art of trailering involves moving in reverse. And from a safety standpoint, having adequate mirrors to help you to maintain an awareness of what's going on around you is at least as important as your ability to go/stop/swerve, etc.

The 25' is a "widebody" Airstream (8.5 feet), and the dinky side mirrors on the X5 just won't cut it. Yes, you can buy mirror extensions, but they're awkward to use, they vibrate, and are no match for the proper towing mirrors you'll find on a pickup.

Tires are another example of where an SUV generally falls short for towing duty, as is the absence of a well-integrated brake controller. (I tried the Prodigy RF wireless route with the X5, and it was a disaster.)

Many of us have faced the existential dilemma of having to move on from a luxury SUV in order to embrace the Airstream dream. I did, and have never looked back. You owe it to yourself to at least take a test drive in a new high-trim pickup (example: F150 Platinum, but there are others). I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how little you would have to compromise relative the X5 for everyday use.

[JohnandJan]

This is a bad idea. The vehicle tow limit for a 2016 X5 is 5952 pounds. We owned 2 X5s with diesels and they were plenty powerful enough for our 6000 GVWR trailers. Our last one was a 2015 and it had a 6000 GVWR limit. We wanted a 2017 X5 but the limit had been reduced to the 5952 lbs noted above. I called our insurance company and they said that they didn't care what we towed, but if we were in an accident while towing, our policy would be cancelled. At any rate, an X5 with the 3.5 engine does not have enough power for a 7300 GVWR trailer.

[tojimmiller]

Towing,, the ???? I always want to know the answer to is, cam my tow vehicle STOP 🛑 IT. I can tow it with my motorcycle but stopping it can really be exciting
Jm

[Ldytraveller]

Andy at CanAm is the guru of towing. We are towing a 34ft. AS with a Dodge Caravan. 30,000 miles in almost 3 yrs. No problems.

[Steven62]

I had a Lexus GX460 and considered towing the airstream 25FB with it having previously towed a 20FB with it. My rationale being if it wasn’t loaded the trailer towing weight was closer to 5500lbs. What I learned is not that I couldn’t tow it with the SUV but it was significantly more comfortable to tow it with a pickup, in my case a 5.7 Liter Ram Limited.
The truck doesn’t sink when you connect the trailer, it doesn’t strain when you pull it up hills. The mirrors are better for towing. It doesn’t get blown around when passing an 18 wheeler. I keep the things I need to connect the camper, along with the outside chairs and the grill in the pickup bed.
So my point is maybe you can do it with the X5 but it’s nicer with a truck and if your going any distance or a length of time that makes a difference.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by JohnandJan

At any rate, an X5 with the 3.5 engine does not have enough power for a 7300 GVWR trailer.

That is pretty funny. It is rated at 300 hp, but many tests have shown BMW 3.0 engines to produce more than rated hp. You can also buy the performance chip from the dealer, and gain hp while maintaining full warranty.

It isn't just the hp though. Getting rated torque from 1200 rpm up is a nice feature for towing.

[SteveNdebbie]

Originally Posted by 1stTime

Thankfully you and a few others wrote in previous threads pointing out what can / cannot be done with an x5 which is why I a posted a new thread concerning this subject in more detail. I appreciate your 1st hand example and apparently there are a few others with X5s having a good experience. by the way - what is the GVWR and tongue weight of your Trailer and have you done any mods on the X5 frame or suspension. Thanks again...

BTW, I was a newbie too and had similar questions about the Acura MDX. I sent a message to CanAm about a new 23 ft. CB Serenity and Philip said no problem, but we ended up with a really good deal on our used 25 ft FB and he recommended hitch reinforcement. Towed 320 miles without reinforcement but with the Hensley hitch (Philip said we would be ok since just going from Traverse City to London, Ontario) and there was a remarkable difference in balance and handling after the reinforcement and redoing the set up. Reinforcement was around $250? and set up about $200. They have hookups there for overnight arrivals and the work took half a day. I had never towed before this (other than small trailers) but Andy went with us on a test drive and gave me advice on maneuvering and braking helping me understand my brake controller. We towed back to Ohio through Detroit at rush hour (I75 was closed due to pieces of a bridge falling onto the highway and I was extremely thankful for the rear camera we had installed at purchase so I could always see who was racing up from behind. Mirror extenders were helpful but the camera was indispensable.

They had to drop down the spare tire to run the supports for the reinforcement.

[Greg_Small]

For another p.o.v. ... as a 'AS beginner' with a 2011 X5d we bought in a 2016 23 FB, with published hitch weight 440 lbs and unit base weight 4806 lbs. X5 ratings are 600 hitch weight and 6000 GVWR (maximum trailer weight when vehicle is empty (no payload); any load carried in the vehicle reduces maximum trailer towing capacity). The theoritical load, therefore, is 1194 lbs for driver, passengers, vehicle cargo and AS cargo.

BTW, in Canada the 23 TB is 'stamped' 6300 GVWR?

I switched to a Cayenne D which has 7717 lbs 'towing capacity, however, with 616 lbs hitch weight rating I think I cannot go 'bigger' than the 23 FB.

[SilverWind]

One of the big issues using many SUVs and vehicles like the BMW is the transmissions. They tend to be challenged by towing and have shorter life spans.

[bono]

I am driving BMWs since almost 20 years. I've never heard about any particular problems with transmissions in BMW SUV. There were a couple of BMW transmission "failures" (E39 530d, E60 M5, etc.), but nothing with SUV.

Bother to share the source of your claims?

Originally Posted by SilverWind

One of the big issues using many SUVs and vehicles like the BMW is the transmissions. They tend to be challenged by towing and have shorter life spans.

[bono]

Hahaha, BMW X5 has better brakes than ANY truck on the market. Wondering why I am not seeing questions whether pickups with sedan brakes can stop trailer...

Originally Posted by tojimmiller

Towing,, the ???? I always want to know the answer to is, cam my tow vehicle STOP �� IT. I can tow it with my motorcycle but stopping it can really be exciting
Jm

[jcl]

Originally Posted by SilverWind

One of the big issues using many SUVs and vehicles like the BMW is the transmissions. They tend to be challenged by towing and have shorter life spans.

Can't agree with that. Earlier BMW automatics in the SUVs experienced some failures, but they weren't related to load or heat, so hard to connect those issues to towing. The failures were related to electronic components like solenoids, and in one case, to the bearing in the torque converter.

The last three generations of the X5 (over 13 years) have used ZF transmissions. The six speed used in the E70 was a ZF 6HP. Ford built that transmission under license and put it in F150s for years. Didn't hear about it being a weak link.